Street or station indicator.



1. 0. LOUGH.

STREET ORSTATION INDICATOR.

, APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9 m7.-

1 9 6 1,5,, Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

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JOHN o. LOUGH, or MoNrREAL, QUEBEC, oAnADA.

srnEETlon. STATION INDICATOR.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Apr. 2, rare.

Application fil'ed March 9, 1917. Serial No. 153,745.

- ince of Quebec and Dominion of Canada,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street or Station Indicators,

of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. I

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for automatically indicating the names of streets or stations as a car or train approaches same, in order that passengers may'have ample warning if they intend to alight at the next stop.

The object'of the invention is to provide an apparatus as previously outlined of extremely simple and durable construction, which will not get-outoforder, and which may be readily changed if the car carrying same is shifted from one route to another.

The device consists briefly of a framework carrying a drum having a plurality of pivoted flaps or leaves, each inscribed with the name-0f a street or station. The frame also carries means for rotating the drum, and for checklng reverse movement'thereof.

The drum and frame may be inclosed in a casing having an opening opposite which the leaves of the drum are displayed. 7 It will be understood, however, that this casing may be a part of the car itself.

In the drawings which illustrate the invention:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus, the parts being broken away in section. a

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the automatic actuating means.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 11 designates a base and 12 a oasing. These two elements may be component parts of the apparatus, or may be parts of the car to which it is attached. A framework is provided comprising a" pair of up rights 13, and a pair of shorter uprights 14', there being one upright of each kind at each end of the base. An approximately horizontal member 15 is connected between the top of the uprightlt and a point below the top of the upright 13", and extends beyond the latter upright, a suitable distance ateach end of the apparatus. A diagonal brace 16 connects the upper extremities of the. uprights Band 14 at each end of theapparatus. Stay rods 17 and 18 are provided extending from end to nd of the apparatus and connecting the end frames. A drum 19 is mounted in the framework. on a spindle 20 secured to the uprights 13 in such a mam her that the drum may be readily removed, if desired. The drum consists of a pair of circular end plates 21 held predetermined distance apart by stay bolts 22, and connectedat their peripheries by a plurality of rods 23 extending parallel with the spindle 20, which is the axis of the drum. These rods 23 project a short distance beyond the outer surfaces of the plates 21 and abut a ring 24 at each end of the drum. Certain of the rods 23 are longer than others, so as. to project through the rings 2% and are threaded to receive nuts 25 holding the rings in position. Each rod 23 forms the pivot or hinge pin of a flap orleaf 26 which extends outwardly from the drum.

The apparatus for operating the device is extremely simple, and consists essentially of three'pawls, one for shifting the drum, one for checking forward movement, and one for preventing-reverse movement during retraction of the first pawls. The shifting pawl 27 is pivoted at one endto a lever 28, which isin turn pivoted at its upper end to one of the uprights 13. A spring 29 is arranged between the pawl and lever to hold the end of the pawl down on the ends of the rods 23 between the end plate 21 and ring 24. The checking pawl 30- is pivoted at one end to the lever 28, above the pawl 27, and at its opposite end is designed to press downwardly on the ends of the rods 23 between the end plate and ring. Downward pressure is obtained by the differential suspen sion of the pawl 30. A link 31 is pivotally connected between the frame member 15 and the pawl at a point intermediate the ends of the pawl. The third pawl 32 is pivoted at one end to the upright 13, and engages at its opposite end with the end of the rod 23 between the end plate and ring. A spring 33 is arranged between the pawl and frame member to hold the pawl in engagement with the rods, in such a manner that reverse revolution of the drum is prevented. The lower endof the lever 28 is connected by a link 34k with the armature 35 of an electromagnet 36. A small spring 37 may if desiredbeinserted between the armature and lever 34. to absorb shock. A retractor spring 38 is. connected between fixed and moving parts of the apparatus, as for example, between the upright 13 and the link 34. A stop 39 is provided for the end of the lever 28 to limit the retracting movement caused by the spring 38. The electro-magnket 36 is energized by means of current flowing to it through a circuit closing device 10, mounted on any suitable part of the vehicle and having a movable part 41 designed to engage a fixed stop 42 located externally of the vehicle.

The casing 12, which contains the apparatus, whether formed separately from or as to a certain extent by the stay 18, as the drum is revolved.

The operation of the device may be summarized as follows:On. approaching a street or station, the switch operating member 41 engages the stop 42, and operates the switch 4:0 to close the circuit of the electromagnet 26 which draws up its armature 35, and thereby oscillates the lever 28 in one direction, causing the pawl 27' which is in engagement with one of the rods 23 to revolve the drum a predetermined distance. The movement of the lever 28 at the same time swings the pawl 30 into engagement with the end of a rod 23, and by reason of the suspension of this pawl intermediate its ends, causes a slight oscillation of the latter, so that the free end thereof presses down. wardly on the rod. The leverage of the magnet over the pawl 30 is greater than that over the pawl 27, so that the checking force available will be always in excess of the driving force. As the drum revolves, the rods 23 thereof slip past the end of the pawl 82, which engages each rod in succession and holds the drum against reverse movement when the pawl 27 is retracted to engage a fresh rod. As the drum revolves, the leaves are in succession dragged under the stay 18, which it will be noticed is located slightly above the horizontal plane containing the axis of the drum. The adjustment of the parts is such that at each operation, a leaf will be dragged nearly clear from under the stay 18, but there will be suflicient engagement to hold the leaf from passing the stay. On the next operation of the apparatus at the very commencement, the leaf is disengaged from the stay 18 and drops, swinging through an angle of approximately 180 about-its pivot 23, as indicated in dotted lines. Each side of each leaf is provided with the name of a street, station or the back of the next leaf, which has not 7 quit the stay, will be visible. By operatin g the shutter 14 the inscriptions on either the fronts or backs of the leaves may be rendered visible through the casing opening. The arrangement of these names on the front and back of the leaves is in reverse order,

that is, the first name ofa series is on the front and the last name on the back. By

this means, if it is desired to send a car or train back over the same line, all that is necessary is to shift the shutter, whereupon,

although the apparatus continues to operate mechanically in the same direction as before, the names will be displayed in reverse order.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a device of the character described, a name flap displaying drum revolubly mounted, a pawl arranged to rotate said drum, a second pawl arranged to limit rotation of the drum to a predetermined amount, a common operating means for said pawls, and a link suspending said second pawl and forming with the operating means a difierential suspension for the second pawl. V

2. In a device of the character described, 'a frame including two uprights and two iorizontals, a name flap displaying drum revolubly mounted in said uprights, a pair of pawls engaging said drum, one of which is pivoted to one upright, a lever pivoted to said one upright and pivotally connected with one end of each of said pawls, and a link pivotally connected at one end between the extremities of one of the pawls and pivoted at the opposite end to one horizontal.

3. In a device of the character described, a frame including two uprights and two horizontals, a name flap displaying drum revolubly mounted in said uprights, a lever pivoted at one end to one upright, a drum rotating pawl pivotally connected intermedi ate the ends of said lever, adrum checking pawl pivotally connected to said lever at a point intermediate its pivotal support, and the connection of the first pawl, a link pivoted at one end to one horizontal and at the oppositeend to said second pawl. intermediate the ends thereof, .an electro-magne't, operative connection between the free end of said lever and the armature of said magnet, and a retractor spring for said lever and the lever stop.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. 7

JOHN O, LOUGH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 1). G. 

